Combined belt tightener and braee attachment



(N0 Model V M. W. BREY. I

COMBINED BELT TIGHTBNER AND BRAKE ATTACHMENT- No. 307,839. Patented Nov. 11, 1884.

' a WITNESSJYS A; Attorney 5 a rn'rss WATENT rrica.

MILTON WV. BREY, OF HARLEYSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINED BELT-TIGHTENER AND BRAKE ATTACHMENT? BPECIE'ICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,839, dated November 11, 1884.

Application filed September 22, 1884. N0 model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON W. BREY, of Harleysville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Belt Tightener and Brake Attachment for Sewing-llIaehines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart ofthis specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

My present invention relates to an attachment more particularly designed for use and application in connection with sewingmachines where the latter are driven by a belt from a line-shaft; and it consists, essentially, in the combination, with the driving-belt and hand-wheel ofa sewing-machine, ofa standard provided witha shield, a brake, and a roller or pulley, said standard being connected to the treadle or footlever, the shield extending beneath the lower strand of the driving-belt, and thus protecting and sustaining the latter when slack, the roller or pulley acting upon the belt to tightenor loosen the latter, and the brake, by coming in contact with the hand-wheel when the belt is slackened, serving to stop the machine, all as hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims: I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved attachment, and Fig. 2 a side view of the same as applied to the drivingshaft ofa sewing-machine.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate like parts.

The standard A is provided on its top with two arms, a a, carrying the pulley B, and to one side of said standard is fastened the guard O, and to the other the brake-shoe D. The standard is preferably arranged to work vertically in guides formed in the table-top in the rear of the machine, and in such position relative to the driving-belt E, hand-wheel F, and pulley G that thesaid driving-belt shall pass under the pulley B and between the arms a c. \Vhen in this position, if the standard be depressed, the pulley B, by pressing upon the upper strand of the belt, will so tighten it as .wheel F, will thus stop the machine and prevent its further movement until the standard shall again be raised. y In order the more conveniently to control the movements of the standard to start and stop the machine, and to provide for the ready and expeditious application thereof to machines as ordinarily constructed, I have formed said standard with a preferably round extension, A, which may be inserted through a simple auger hole made through the table-top, and to the lower end of said extension A is applied an adjustable head or collar, a".

Between the head or collar A and a support, such as the under side of the table, is arranged a spring, A which serves to hold the standard A down and its roller B in contact with the belt. The tension of the spring should be adjusted to suit the work tobe performed, and as arranged this can conveniently be accomplished by setting up the collar A on the extension A. The lower end of the extension A or the adjustable head A is furnished with an eye, a", or equivalent means for attachment to the treadle A whereby the standard and its connected parts may be convcniently elevated to stop the machine.

It is obvious that the relative action of the spring and treadle may be reversed without departing from the spirit of myinvention. Thus the spring may as well be employed to maintain the standard in its elevated position and the treadle to depress it and thus start th machine.

The advantages of this contrivance, particularly as applied to sewing-machines, are numerous and obvious. I It is so constructed as to be readily applied to machines as ordinarily constructed and with the minimum of labor and expense. All extra levers and unnecessary and cumbersome parts are dispensed with, and an eflicient mechanism for controlling the starting and stopping of the machine is provided, which requires no special skill to apply.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. Theimproved attachment for sewing-machines, consisting of the vertical post provided with the belt-tightening pulley, brake-shoe, and shield, the said standard being further provided with an extension for insertion through the tabletop, and means for connecting the same to the treadle, substantially as described.

2. In combination, with the hand-wheel and band-pulley, the standard carrying the belttightening pulley and the brake-shoe, said standard passing through guides in the table, and being operated in one direction by aspring and in the other by a treadle, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the hand-wheel and band-pulley of a sewing-machine, the standard provided with the beltshield, pulley, and brake-shoe, substantially as described.

4. In combination with the standard carrying the pulley and brake-shoe for engaging the driving-belt and the hand-Wheel, as described, the extension to said standard passing through an opening in the table, the spring, and the adjustable head against which said spring bears, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The vertical standard carrying the belttightening and brake-applying mechanism, in combination with a spring for holding it in one direction, andthe treadle for actuating it in the opposite direction to start or stop the sewing-machine, substantially as described. 6. In combination with the driving-shaft of a sewing-machine, its hand-wheel, drivingpulley, and the belt extending from a pulley on a counter-shaft, a belt-shield, tighteningpulley, and brakeshoe mounted upon a standard, the latter working through the table-top and actuated in opposite directions to start and stop the machine by a spring and treadle, substantially as described.

7 In combination with the hand-wheel and driving-pulley of a sewing-machine, a movable belt-tightener and brake-shoe, and amovable guard or shield extending beneath the lower strand of the driving-belt and operating in conjunction therewith, substantially as described.

MILTON W. BREY.

\Vitues ses:

ABRAHAM G. SonWENK, Aucusrus S. ZEIGLER. 

